wireless internet which brand is best value

milo · Guru

wireless internet which brand is best value

lyn-n-ken · Senior Member

Hi guys,

looking for the best range and value, have been with telstra and have had no problem but was wondering what every one is using. plan or prepaid, we are permanantly on the road so have steered away from plans in the past as they want to put them in a bundle with landlines etc , and if you don't have a land-line a bundle doesn't work.

cheers guys.

lyn

turbopete · Senior Member

i am currently looking at a portable wifi modem was wondering if the transmission slows down if there are a lot of users at peak times

Nomad246 · Senior Member

turbopete wrote:
i am currently looking at a portable wifi modem was wondering if the transmission slows down if there are a lot of users at peak times

The answer is yes it can slow due to network traffic (depends on the tower connected to). The fastest is the 4G network with a 4G modem, however this is only available in capital cities and major regional centres. In other areas your 4G modem will be connected to a 3G tower, but the 4G modem will run faster than the old 3G modems.

e.g. we're on a country 3G tower, the old 3G modem ran at @>1500, the new 4G mobile hotspot runs @ 4000 to 6000 dependant on network traffic.

The Telstra/Bigpond mobile hotspot is fantastic for multi devices but also good that you do not need it plugged into your pc (wifi connection) to get internet so you can freely move around without devices hanging out the USB, also locate the modem for best tower recption which may not be the best place for the puter.

As big internet users my view is prepaid is far too expensive for data downloads, we use post paid for multi pc's.

http://telstra.com.au/internet/mobile-broadband-bigpond-liberty-plans/

Put all your Telstra units on the one bill and you will get savings without 'bundelling' and for internet get the best Aust wide coverage.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I have Telstra for all my needs as they have the best coverage, even though there are better deals out there I find coverage more important to my needs. In the new year I am getting rid of my land line which in turn will stop my ADSL2 then reduce my wireless broadband to the minimum plan and use my iPhone 4s as my internet modem as it has the rural coverage.

I will go with that for a while and see how it all works out. I want to keep the wireless broadband just as a back up only.

bill12 · Guru

I got rid of my landline 2 years ago, and haven,t regreted it. I am with telstra on a post paid plan ,wifi, with 4g data for $29.95 a month and it definately has better coverage than optus.phone is with telstra on a similar plan.Telstra sucks, but mave better coverage. optus only works in the cities, mostly.If optus could guarentee coverage , I would change,they are definately cheaper,but if you need coverage, telecoma is the way to go. Bill

milo · Guru

and the good thing with telstra is you can add extra data packs for when away,
and then bring it back down when home too.. thats what i do when travelling now.

BohemianGypsy · Guru

Dougwe wrote:
I have Telstra for all my needs as they have the best coverage, even though there are better deals out there I find coverage more important to my needs. In the new year I am getting rid of my land line which in turn will stop my ADSL2 then reduce my wireless broadband to the minimum plan and use my iPhone 4s as my internet modem as it has the rural coverage.

I will go with that for a while and see how it all works out. I want to keep the wireless broadband just as a back up only.

Doug could you please explain how you use your iphone as your modem for me please as I would love to be able to do that.

Michelle

milo · Guru

hi Michelle , to use your iphone as a modem

go int o settings , then it should say personal hotspot off,
click on that then it should go to another menu showing personal hot spot with an off switch,
slide that till its on and should be blue , and should even show you a pass word under wifi password
when your pc/laptop or ipad pics up your hotspot, then type in that password and you shoud be set to go..

oh this works with ipads too so if you have a data plan on your ipad you can use too,
providing your provider lets you.. might have find that out first..

and have a decent sized plan like 2gigs or more

hope that helps

George · Veteran Member

I also use my mobile phone as my internet modem. Telstra have very good coverage and the $50 plan of 2gigs and $550 calls is ample for me. However, regardless as to how good telstras coverage is, in the outback it is useless and when I finally am in a position to travel more I will definately invest in a sattelite phone.

EllenajoeL · Senior Member

+1 it all depends on coverage where you are going....

For instance, Telstra still have by far the best 'standard' wireless coverage away from the large highways/demographics and even it is less-than-ideal

....however, comparatively, Telstra package rates, esp for medium/low volume usage, are less-than-ideal too.

So...if you are likely to stay within the coverage of competitors (eg Optus and its resellers like Amaysim/Dodo) I would suggest perusing their plans, particularly the 'per month, no lock-in' options. If you are likely to travel further afield, then Telstra is more likely to provide comminication..and thats what will matter. smile